PokerStars Ambassador Kenny Hallaert makes second WSOP 2025 Main Event final table
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Exciting news from the WSOP 2025 Main Event…
The final table of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event is set, and PokerStars Ambassador Kenny Hallaert is among the final nine for the second time in his incredible career.
Hallaert, already well known in the poker world for his online results and work as a tournament director, announced himself to the live poker world when he finished sixth in the 2016 Main Event for a career-best $1,464,258. Now, after eight days of play and a field of 9,735 players, the Belgian is once again playing for millions on poker’s biggest stage.
It’s an extraordinary accomplishment, made even more impressive by the fact that Hallaert entered the final two days of play as the chip leader. He finished Day 8 in the middle of the pack with a stack of 80,500,000 — good for 50 big blinds when play resumes on Tuesday, July 15, at 1 p.m. in Las Vegas. The blinds will be 800,000/1,600,000 with a 1,600,000 big blind ante.
“The first time that I played was in 2008,” Hallaert told PokerNews when play finished on Day 8. “I love this tournament so much that I said to myself, if I can, I’m never going to miss this tournament anymore. Since then, I have had the privilege of playing it. Making the final table in 2016 was a dream that I thought would never come true. To now make it for a second time feels surreal in a way. You’re battling with roughly 10,000 other players. Only one in 1,000 will make it. It’s so amazing.”
Hallaert is guaranteed a $1 million
MIZRACHI AND MARGETS ALSO MAKE HISTORY
All nine finalists are guaranteed at least $1 million, with the eventual champion winning $10,000,000. And what a final it’s going to be.
The WSOP 2025 Main Event finalists
Hallaert isn’t the only player returning to the WSOP Main Event final table. Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi is also making his second appearance, having finished fifth in 2010 for $2,332,992. That same year, he won the prestigious $50K Players Championship — a title he captured again earlier this summer, becoming the first player to win the event four times.
Then there’s former PokerStars Ambassador Leo Margets, who has become the first woman to reach the Main Event final table since Barbera Enright 30 years ago. It’s a fantastic result for the long-time Spanish crusher, who is guaranteed a career-best score regardless of where she finishes.
But it’s John Wasnock who enters the final as chip leader, despite being in 17th place at the Day 8 dinner break. The 50-year-old from Seattle had just $143,000 in live earnings heading into this event, so he’s representing recreational players everywhere.
WSOP 2025 MAIN EVENT FINAL TABLE CHIP COUNTS
Seat 1: Leo Margets (Spain) – 53,400,000 (33 big blinds)
Seat 2: Kenny Hallaert (Belgium) – 80,500,000 (50 big blinds)
Seat 3: Braxton Dunaway (United States) – 91,900,000 (57 big blinds)
Seat 4: John Wasnock (United States) – 108,100,000 (68 big blinds)
Seat 5: Michael Mizrachi (United States) – 93,000,000 (58 big blinds)
Seat 6: Daehyung Lee (South Korea) – 34,900,000 (22 big blinds)
Seat 7: Luka Bojovic (Serbia) – 51,000,000 (32 big blinds)
Seat 8: Adam Hendrix (United States) – 48,000,000 (30 big blinds)
Seat 9: Jarod Minghini (United States) – 23,600,000 (15 big blinds)
WSOP 2025 MAIN EVENT PAYOUTS
1. $10,000,000
2. $6,000,000
3. $4,000,000
4. $3,000,000
5. $2,400,000
6. $1,900,000
7. $1,500,000
8. $1,250,000
9. $1,000,000
ABOUT KENNY HALLAERT
Kenny Hallaert is best known to most poker fans for reaching the final table of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event in 2016, where he finished sixth from a field of 6,737 to win $1.46 million.
But with $5.92 million in live career earnings, Hallaert has proven himself time and time again on poker’s biggest stages. In 2011, he made a European Poker Tour (EPT) final table in Deauville (6th – €155,000) and enjoyed another deep EPT run in Cyprus in 2023, finishing 10th. At the Irish Open 2025, he took down the €5K NLHE 8-Max High Roller for €140,674.
But Hallaert is also a force on the virtual felt with more than $7 million in online winnings. Known as “SpaceyFCB” on PokerStars, Hallaert has three Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP) titles plus a plethora of wins and scores in big events.
But what you might not know is that Hallaert is also a respected tournament organiser and director, having helped set up poker rooms in Belgium (Namur and Spa Casinos) as well as assisting with the management of events for the EPT, Belgian Poker Series, and French Poker Series.
Hallaert started playing poker in 2004 while working as an electrician. In 2008, he started work in the poker industry, using the events management experience he’d accumulated back in his home village to help plan and run poker festivals. He’s since gone on to help establish some of Europe’s leading regional events, all while maintaining his place among the toughest players in poker.
In 2022, Hallaert joined the Tournament Directors Association (TDA), where he can combine his experience as a player with his knowledge of how to run poker events.
Now he’s bringing that unique perspective to PokerStars in a unique Ambassador role where he’s also a live events advisor. Hallaert plays an advisory role at PokerStars live events, helping to voice player opinions and provide suggestions and feedback to the Live Events team.
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